In radial roller bearing assemblies of the type described above, the outer ring frequently is designed as a thin-walled sleeve with flanges at both axial ends for the axial retention of the cage. In order to facilitate assembly of the rollers, the sleeve is first prefabricated with only one flange so that the cage into which the roller elements have been inserted may be pushed onto the sleeve from the side without a flange. In the final assembly step, the opposing second flange is formed on the sleeved by a rolling process. It has been found that this subsequent shaping process required to form the second flange raises the cost of producing bearing assemblies in this fashion considerably. Additionally, radial roller bearings of this type cannot usually be disassembled without destroying them.
There have been proposed solutions to the problem discussed above. For example, German Patent DE-OS 3,902,194, discloses that either one or both side flanges of the outer ring can be provided with an opening eccentric to the bearing axis or the cage can be provided with side rings arranged eccentrically to the bearing axis and in this way the cage can be introduced axially into the bearing ring in a position different from that of this final installation to avoid the extra step of shaping the second flange and making it possible for the bearing to be disassembled without destroying it. However, these designs have certain drawbacks and disadvantages. For example, in these assemblies, the cage is fixed in place in the two axial directions only at one point around the circumference. Furthermore, the eccentric opening of one or both side flanges increases the cost of fabrication considerably.
Cylindrical roller bearings with comb-type cages with separating webs which engage between the rollers are also known (U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,164). Tabs and the like which project radially outwardly over the side ring of the cage, are provided on the lateral surfaces of the webs to engage behind a side flange of the outer ring of the bearing. When these cages are introduced into the flanges bearing rings, the tabs or webs are deformed under pressure. These designs mean that the material out of which the cage is made must be relatively soft.
So that significantly harder materials can be used, a comb-type cage of this type is known (GB 1 380 454) in which tabs or the like projecting radially out over the cage side ring are provided on only some of the separating webs, that is, at only two diametrically opposing points on the cage. As a result, it is possible to tip the cage as it is being introduced into the outer ring around an axis perpendicular to the diametrical axis of the webs and their projections and then to right it again side the raceway. Such comb cages are not universally applicable.